Sweet Surrender

~Losing a mother~

She sat on the last stair near the foyer, staring at the drawing-room door. A gentleman had arrived, and her mother received him behind those very doors.

The look on his face made it evident that he was bringing bad news, and as much as she hated to admit it, every day as of late, there was bad news, and she was worried at what it could be this time.

She feared the worse. Could it be news of her father? If it was...she preferred not to know. Saddened by the thought, she lowered her head to look at her now trembling hands that became sweaty.

When it came to her father, as of late, nothing surprised her. His disappearance was common, and she grew accustomed to his absence because when he did show up, it was to let her mother know he lost more money at the card tables.

It's already been seven months since he's been gone. Her mother, by the third month, stopped waiting up for him; by the fourth, she stopped crying at night. By the sixth, she began to thin.

She watched as Agnes; their maid passed her with a tray of tea towards the drawing-room. She anxiously watched as she entered, and her breath hitched in her throat as she saw a glimpse of the gentleman quickly say something to Agnes. Her heart began to race as she saw her mother hold her hands to her chest. He quickly grabbed her as she slumped to the floor.

"Mother!" she gasped.

Quickly she stood and ran towards the door only to be stopped midway by Gretchen, another maid.

"No child, it's best that you not enter," Gretchen held her tight.

Evangeline frowned and tried to pull away from her, but Gretchen's hold was tighter.

"Please, Gretchen, what is wrong with my mother?" Evangeline began to panic.

Agnes, after a while, ran out of the drawing-room through the foyer towards the entrance door. By this time, the whole house was in chaos. When she returned, she gave strict orders to take Evangeline out to the garden.

"No! I am not going anywhere until you tell me what is wrong," she refused to move.

Worried glances passed between the two servants. Not wanting to worry her anymore, Agnes held Evangeline's hands and gave her a reassuring smile hoping it would convince the young girl before her that everything was alright.
Even when, in truth, it wasn't, she sighed in her head.

"There are no worries, love. Your mother has just been feeling under the weather. But soon, Dr. Conor will come to see her. You watch she will be right as rain." Agnes rubbed her shoulders, slowly turning her towards Gretchen.

Not feeling convinced, she shook her head then turned once again, insisting that she go see her mother.

Before she got any further, the front door opened, and Dr. Conor entered.

Agnes left her side and greeted the doctor and showed him towards the drawing-room where she was kept out...Again...
~•~•~•~•~•
Hillary sat in a horrified state and listened to her husband's solicitor.
They had nothing left...
All of their possessions.... gone. He gambled away everything.

"Everything!!!" She whispered.

Wesley looked saddened at the woman before him. She slowly raised her finger to her temple and touched it gently as it began to throb and hurt tremendously.

He swallowed hard and looked at her again.
"Hillary, there is more...and it worries me deeply," his heart sank at the thought.
Her eyes slowly raised to look at his.
There could not possibly be anything worse. Slowly the ache in her head weakened her as she listened to Wesley.